LITTLE ROCK— The Arkansas attorney general's office wants to appeal a federal judge's decision to expand a lawsuit challenging the state's decision to cut off Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood.
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge's office Friday filed a petition for permission to appeal U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker's order granting class certification to the lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. Planned Parenthood has said it plans to ask Baker to expand her October decision temporarily blocking the state from denying Medicaid funds for the three unnamed women suing the state.
In Friday's filing, Rutledge's office says the appeals court panel should stay the lawsuit while it takes up the challenge to the class certification.
Arkansas terminated the organization's Medicaid funding over videos secretly recorded by an anti-abortion group.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.